The Innkeeper
by BK27
Summary: A lonely inn at the end of a dead end road, and a woman searching deep in her heart for someone to set her free.
1. Chapter 1

**The Innkeeper**

"I can't believe they misplaced our reservation!" Ichigo yelled as he slammed the car door.

"They don't have a room for us?" Rukia looked puzzled as she knew she made it at least two months in advance.

"Now where the hell are we going to stay in this damn town?" Ichigo hit the wheel and restarted the car.

"There must be another inn around here somewhere. I can't use my phone since there's no service out here."

"Damn vacation guide didn't say anything about no service. Why would they? I only have one bar. I could make a call, but I'd need a number first." Ichigo began driving down the rain filled road. The rain beat down on their car as Ichigo drove down the road. They drove until they came to a dead end and Ichigo was forced to turn around. As the car turned, Rukia noticed a light inside of a very large house. She squinted at the sign above the door, but couldn't read it.

"Hey Ichigo, I think this is an inn. Drive closer to it so I can see the sign." Ichigo drove slowly until he stopped in front of the door. "It says Abarai Inn and, oh, it says vacancy. Let's go in."

"I can get the luggage. You get out here and check in. Here's the card."

"Thanks." Rukia got out and rushed in while Ichigo tried to find a place to park. The large house was turned into a bed and breakfast. Rukia always liked the quiet charm of such places. The door was a deep cherry wood and had diamond shaped windows. She opened the door with some difficulty, but was able to get in and shut the door with some force behind her. The wind did not help in her efforts. As she neared the front desk, she took note that all of the interior that she could see was also a rich, dark wood and there were etchings on the wood. It was beautiful.

She walked up to the counter and was happy she had worn her tall boots, because without them, she'd barely be able to see over the tall counter. The single light on the desk shown to an empty counter. She rang the bell and waited for a moment.

"Be right there!" A deep voice called out. Rukia watched as a very tall man emerged from the dimly lit room behind the counter. He walked up, and she finally could see his face. Her breaths stopped as she could feel her legs turn to jelly. The man had on a simple button up black shirt that had a few of the top buttons unbuttoned and his hair was a fiery red that cascaded down his broad shoulders. She didn't think time could stand still, but it did for her in that moment. Little did she know that the same thing was happening to him at the same time. Finally, he cleared his throat and leaned over the counter.

"Welcome."

"I, uh, do you have a room available at this hour?"

"We do. It's $76."

"I'll take it. Here's my card and license."

The man took the information from her trembling hands and walked away to run the card. Rukia sighed and looked around. "From what I could see, this house has a lot of great woodwork. Do any of your rooms have the same woodwork as down here?"

"Emma's room does. You can have that one."

"Great." She looked out the door to see if Ichigo was coming. She could faintly see him on his phone still in the car. "My name's Rukia Kuchiki." As he came back with paperwork for her to sign.

"Renji Abarai."

"It...it's nice to meet you Mr. Abarai."

"Call me Renji. I'm not a formal person."

She smiled. "Then call me Rukia." She handed him the paperwork and he handed her the key. She grabbed a brochure and read it at the counter. Suddenly, she noticed that it felt like something was wrapped around her right pinky finger. She looked at it and was shocked to find a red thread wrapped around it. It seemed to glow and almost looked like it was floating somewhere beyond this world. At the same time, Renji was writing on the other side of the counter and felt the same thing on his right pinky finger. He put down his pen and lifted his hand. Rukia lifted her hand as well and they both traced the thread with their eyes until it appeared as one strand linking them together. Rukia's eyes watered. Her throat went dry.

"The red string of fate."

"I thought it was just a legend." Renji said softly. They both looked puzzled and amazed at each other. The thread laid on the counter while they both could put their other hand through the thread. Finally, Renji looked at Rukia, whose eyes were just as large as his as the reality of the situation came in. "Rukia, are you the one that is going to be my savior?"

"Savior? I don't think I'm anything like that, but we are linked now by the thread I thought would never exist. This changes a lot of things. What's your email? When we leave here, I want to keep talking to you."

Renji wrote down his email and handed it to her. She folded it up and stuck it in her pocket. She noticed the thread grew and shrank with their movements. After she stuck the paper in her pocket, the thread disappeared. Both were almost glad that it had left. Then they felt like they could move again. They couldn't help but feel the power of the new connection they had. Renji reached over and was about to touch her face when Ichigo came crashing in with the luggage.

"A little help here." Renji pulled his hand away and walked over to help take the luggage. All three headed upstairs in silence. The dimly lit stairs were still beautiful even in the soft light. Rukia went down the hall until she saw a sign that said Emma's room. She opened the door and turned on the light. The dark woodwork was even better in the light. The walls were an emerald green and had various antiques on the walls and around the room. She marveled at the room for a moment before helping the men with the luggage. "Thanks, man."

Renji nodded. "No problem. You two have a nice rest." He looked over longingly at Rukia. She returned his gaze and found herself following him with her eyes until he was out of sight.

"I'm going to go take a shower. That rain soaked me to the bone." Ichigo took off his shirt and walked into the bathroom. He took out a towel and threw his clothes on it until he could hang them up after showering. He took out his phone and placed it on a nearby table. Rukia moved the bags and was changing her clothes when Ichigo's phone buzzed. She walked over to see who it was and saw an old friend, Orihime Inoue calling. She picked up the phone, eager to talk to her old friend.

"Hey Orihime, it's Rukia. How are you doing?"

"Ku..kuchiki-san, is that you?"

"Yeah it's me. I grabbed Ichigo's phone. He's in the shower."

"Oh, I see. Well, could you tell him to call me when he has a minute?"

"Sure no problem. Maybe when we get back from our vacation, we can hang out again. I miss that."

"Yeah, maybe. I'll talk to you later Kuchiki-san. Good night."

"Night." She hung up the phone, not thinking much about it. Ichigo emerged some time later and he checked his phone, then put it back down. Rukia had since forgotten Orihime had called because she was too busy admiring the room. Ichigo climbed into bed with a grumble and placed his phone near his side of the bed.

"Turn off the light. I'm going to bed."

"Sure. I think I'm going to go look around some more." She was hoping this excuse would work so she can go back downstairs and have a conversation with Renji.

Ichigo picked up his phone as a text came in. "Alright. See ya."

"See ya." She turned off the light and shut the door quietly. She moved swiftly down the stairs and saw Renji locking the front door.

"Closing for the night?"

"Yeah, is the room ok?"

"Yeah, it's great. I just didn't want to sleep, so I thought I'd look around down here if that's ok."

Renji turned around and smiled. "I have a bottle of merlot in back. If you'd like, I can take you on a tour."

Rukia smiled. "I'd like that. Thank you Renji."

Renji took out the glasses and poured a drink at the front desk. He handed her the glass and they clinked the glasses.

"To the red string of fate." Renji smiled while he took a sip.

"To the red string."

"That was really strange wasn't it?"

"It was." Rukia took another sip and sat down in the lobby. Renji put some logs in the fireplace and lit it. The flames burned bright and he turned off the lights. "Quite the mood you set here, Renji."

"I'd rather drink with the fire burning than have bright lights."

"Me too." She kicked off her shoes and pulled her legs up onto the couch. Renji sat in the chair next to the couch.

"So, tell me about yourself, Rukia."

"Well, I've been with my boyfriend Ichigo for 6 years. We have our hard times, which is why we went on this vacation. We're trying to work it out. I work at my brother's accounting agency Monday through Friday. That's pretty much it."

"Kids?"

"Nope."

"Me either."

"Did you inherit this place?"

"Yeah, my old man decided he wanted to vacation down south. I have a few workers that come in the clean the place every day, but that's it. It's pretty slow. I work all the time here, so my last girlfriend left me after she decided she didn't want to clean a hotel forever. I've been single for a year."

Rukia's brain started churning. "He's single?" She thought. "How could a handsome man who owns his own business still be single? There has to be a reason."

"You haven't had any girlfriends since then?" Rukia asked. "Are people thinking this is the inn in that horror movie and you're going to kill them in their sleep?"

Renji laughed. "I sure hope not. I've had dates, but all the women around here want a millionaire who can give them everything and they don't have to lift a finger."

Rukia looked right into Renji's eyes. "Those people can shove it."

They both laughed and clinked their glasses again. "I'll drink to that."

They talked for over an hour about anything and everything. Rukia was getting really nervous because she was having a really good time and realized they had a lot in common. Once, when he was gazing at the fire, she could have sworn he was a painting. The way the light of the fire accentuated his collar bone and face made her melt. He was just too perfect for her to imagine. All she wanted to do was curl up on the couch with him and listen to each other's stories. Renji began to yawn.

"Well, I should get to bed. I have to be up at 5 tomorrow."

"Alright. It was really nice talking to you. I think we have a lot in common."

Renji poured water over the flames. "Me too. I hope we can talk again."

"Good night Renji."

"Good night."

Rukia walked slowly up the stairs, watching him the entire time. When she finally reached the room, she could hear Ichigo talking. She put her ear to the door and listened.

"I'm sorry babe, I just can't go through with it. I just can't dump her without a good reason. Yeah, I know we are too different and I always talk like she's a good friend. She is. I'm glad we both are against cheating, but I swear if I wasn't, I'd take you right in your driveway. I know I shouldn't talk like that. Rukia's not here. She's wandering the inn checking out this antiquey crap. You really are a good person. You really do care about other people, don't you? Oh you're getting tired, well I'll let you go. Good night Orihime."

Rukia was on her knees sobbing. He doesn't want to be in the relationship anymore? Why didn't he tell her? She stood up slowly and opened the door. Ichigo was still, but she knew he was awake. She closed the door quietly and quickly changed in the bathroom. As she settled in next to him, she couldn't help but feel an invisible barrier between them. She put her hand and gently squeezed her pillow, crying softly until she fell asleep.

In the morning, they packed up and ate breakfast bars they had brought along. Ichigo told Rukia he was going out for a run before they had to leave. She smiled slightly as he left the room. She sat next to the window and peered out. Soon, she saw Ichigo in the road, his phone in his hand, talking to someone. She had a feeling she knew who it was. She sighed deeply and moved the curtain back. She moved her bags near the door and looked at the antique music box on the dresser. She opened it briefly, then closed it. As soon as the music stopped, a knock came at the door. She was startled by the noise and almost knocked over the music box. She recovered and straightened her dress and hair before opening the old door to a now familiar face.

"Morning Rukia. Did you sleep well?"

"Hi Renji. I did, thank you."

"May I come in?"

"Of course. Watch the bags."

Renji looked down at the floor and back to Rukia. "I saw your boyfriend going out for a run. Does he run a lot?"

"Yeah, most days."

"Are you leaving town now? You live an hour away right?"

"I do. I think we may hang around here for a bit. Who knows."

A smile formed on Renji's face, but Rukia could tell he had something on his mind. "What is it?"

Renji sat on the bed. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about the red string we both saw." He looked up at Rukia. "We have some kind of bond. I've never felt or seen that in my entire life."

Rukia leaned on the bed post. "I know what you mean. I keep thinking about you, I mean keep thinking about the thread and you and what it means."

Rukia moved away from the bed and leaned up against a nearby wall. Renji sat up slowly. "Rukia, do you think I could seal our fate?"

"Seal it with what?"

"Well, a kiss."

"That's so cliché!" Rukia laughed. "I can't believe you said that." Rukia's joking, yet calm tone hid her rapidly accelerating heart rate. Renji looked down and sighed.

"I know. It totally was. Besides, you have a boyfriend."

Rukia clenched her fists. She was reminded of last night. She was still upset with Ichigo for not telling her. She really knew the relationship was down the drain from the moment she got in the car to go on their vacation.

"Ok."

"Ok what?" Renji looked at her with a confused expression.

"Let's seal our fate." She hadn't even closed her mouth from the last word before she could feel herself being lifted. Her back was being pushed against the wall, and she could feel her legs wrap around his waist. In that brief moment, the world stood still. Fate was sealed. Renji used that moment to give her the most passionate kiss either had ever experienced. Rukia wrapped her arms around him tightly and also wrapped her legs around him, taking note about how he smelled and tasted. Sure, she was caught up in the moment, but her senses liked everything she was experiencing. She opened her eyes briefly, and saw the red string again. She grabbed Renji's right hand and held his pinky finger. Renji opened his eyes to also see the string on his finger. He held her closer and they returned their attention to each other.

"And here's my reason."

Both froze as the voice cut through them like a razor. Rukia felt his grip lessen and her legs drop to the ground.

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo shot a glare up to Renji. "Would you excuse us for a minute?"

"Uh, of course." Renji quickly bolted from the room, cursing himself for doing such a bold act. He didn't want to lose business because of this. As he shut the door, he could hear their exchange.

"What the hell was that?!"

"That's for your conversation with Orihime last night!"

"What, what are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about! It was just a kiss, I've seen you kiss other girls."

"Not like that!"

"Well, how else would he kiss me, on his knees?!"

Renji took his spot at the counter and sighed. He was glad no one else was around at the time. The other guests had left already. He took a business card and wrote a note to Rukia on it, including his personal phone number and rewrote his email. He flipped the card around until he could hear a door slam. He saw Ichigo with a few of the bags rushing down the stairs. He exited the inn with a loud bang as the door flew back. Rukia was running behind him. She put her bag down and ran to the counter, tears now streaming from her eyes.

"Thank you." She choked out, placing the key on the counter. She picked up her bag.

"Wait Rukia, take this." Renji ran out and gave her the card as she opened the door. She smiled softly before the door closed. On the card, it read, "Please come back."

* * *

Note: I love Renji and Rukia so much. Once again, this was based on a dream I had. I really started to like bed and breakfasts after this. I think I'm going to stay at one just from this wonderful dream.


	2. Chapter 2

Two months had passed. It was now the beginning of summer, and all Rukia wanted to do was have iced tea on a boat. That sounded nice. She waved the fan in front of her face as she sat on her couch. The air conditioning was broken until tomorrow, so she had to try and pass the time not thinking about the heat. That was easier said than done. She flipped around on the TV for a while before turning it off. She sighed and got up to get an ice pack from the freezer. She opened the freezer to find a small assortment of food. She opened the fridge and was reminded that she lived alone now. For many years, she had lived with Ichigo. The day to day life and routine she had been used to were now gone. She went to work on weekdays and spent time alone or had the occasional friend over, but that was it. Today was the beginning of her five day vacation. She had requested it after she returned from that inn. The one she had on her mind every day. She had made a reservation online for it, and was excited to learn she was able to get Emma's room for four nights. There was even a coupon where if she stayed three nights, she'd get one free, so she jumped on the offer. She wondered as she wrapped the ice pack in a thin towel if Renji would notice that she was staying there again. She didn't know how automated the process was. She looked out the window of her lonely apartment.

"I'm going to have to get a roommate or move soon." She said quietly to herself.

Her apartment was too large for just her, and the paychecks were being stretched thinner than usual. She sighed deeply as the cool ice pack hit her neck. She tried to lean against a nearby wall, but underestimated how far away she was from it. She slammed into it with a bit of force. Instantly, the memory of her kiss with Renji came flying back. She lifted one leg slightly to remember how she was. She could feel him holding her. His smell. His taste, everything. She lowered her leg as reality set in. She looked at the clock and realized she was running a little late. She couldn't check in until two, but it was almost noon, and she had to drive for an hour. She took her shower quickly and put a lightweight headband on that made her look feminine, yet mature. The ends of the headband ended just before her hair did. She loved the way it looked, so she wore a lavender dress that complimented the headband. She packed her bag quickly, making sure to bring along some comfortable clothes. She secretly wanted to impress Renji, but he really seemed like a laid back guy, so having a girl be overdressed around him might make him feel uncomfortable. She checked to make sure she had her camera, made sure everything was turned off, then locked the door to start her vacation.

As she drove to the inn, she could feel the nervousness increasing. She rolled down the window, took out her headband, and stuck her head out. She yelled and cheered to a fast paced song she found on the radio and kept doing it until she felt relief. It really helped, because when she arrived, she felt more confident and relaxed. She fixed her hair in the mirror and pulled her suitcase from the trunk. She looked around and was amazed to find that the one side of the inn was on a river. The dead end road was also a bridge that went over the river. She took a quick walk past the road and stepped onto the bridge. She took a few steps and was amazed at the beautiful, quiet river below her. She took out her camera and snapped some pictures of the river, the inn, and the road she was on. She didn't quite know why, but she felt like she wanted to see them later. She stepped off the bridge and headed inside.

She pushed the door open and was amazed to see Renji standing at the door, helping her open it.

"Welcome."

She immediately blushed. "Thank you. I..I'm checking in."

"Of course." He walked around the counter and checked her in. "Four nights I see." He looked up at her. "I'm glad you came back. I didn't know how much you'd want to come back here." Renji took her card and walked into the back.

"I'm here alone this time. Ichigo and I broke up shortly after we got home. He's already dating an old friend of mine. I'm happy for him. We still talk every once in a while."

Renji walked back and handed her card to her. "I'm sorry to hear that. Are you doing alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. We were together for so long that it felt like I would always be with him, but the move to being single was rather smooth, except I think I need to get a roommate or move into a smaller place."

"Well, you never know what tomorrow brings." Renji smiled warmly at her.

She smiled softly back. "When I get done unpacking, is there anywhere that you would recommend where I can go to relax?"

"You can go out on one of our boats. They're free to guests."

Rukia chuckled to herself, thinking about her longing for a boat and iced tea. "You wouldn't have any iced tea, would you?"

"We should. I can make some while you unpack."

"Sure, thanks." She ran upstairs and flew into the room. She ran downstairs in an instant and was met with Renji nowhere to be found. She looked around and saw the fireplace where they sat and talked, then moved into the dining area, where there were several tables set up. The large windows showed a view of the river right outside. She walked over to the door leading out and stepped onto the porch. A table with an umbrella sat near the edge of the porch. She watched the gentle water move the boats slowly, causing them to make a thumping noise as they hit the dock. She took a seat at the table and took more pictures. She heard the door open and looked over to see Renji arrive with two glasses of tea. She thanked him as he sat down at the table.

"This is nice Renji. I like it."

"I do too. Sometimes when there are no guests, I just sit here and sharpen my knives, or take a nap."

They talked for a while about anything they could think of before Renji let out a secret Rukia was not expecting. He was silent for a while before he finally told her. "Rukia, I shut the inn down while you are here."

Rukia put her glass down. "What? Why?"

"Well." He shifted himself in his chair. "The truth is, I wanted to get to know you better, and I didn't want any distractions. None of the workers will be here either. I actually locked the door before I came out here." He looked at Rukia's confused face. "I'm not trying to be creepy or anything, I just wanted to take you out to dinner, go on a boat ride, anything without being pulled away."

"So, you'd like to go on a date with me."

"It..it's not like that." Renji rubbed the back of his neck.

"It totally is." Rukia smirked.

"Hey, don't go putting words in my mouth."

"Ok, I won't say it's a date." She looked at him with a sly grin. "But it is."

"Ah, fine. You got me." He leaned back and drank his tea, stopping to hold his head from the brain freeze. He recovered quickly and slammed the rest of the tea. His glass made a loud thud as it hit the table. "Hey, want to go on a date right now?"

Rukia took a sip of her tea. "Now? Where?"

"Let's go on a boat ride. I'll take you to my favorite spot."

They hoped on the nearby boat and Renji rowed them towards some rock formations. There was a small island, and Rukia could see a picnic table. She was helped off the boat and took a seat on the table. Renji pulled up the boat. "See, this is nice, isn't it?"

"It is. I like it." The view is nice. She took out her camera and took a few quick pictures. While Renji was inspecting the area, Rukia secretively took a few of him. She felt guilty for taking pictures like that, but she wanted to remember everything. She put away the camera and looked around at the beautiful surroundings. They were surrounded by water and rock formations. Renji sat next to her on the other side of the table and pointed out all the different formations and where he's caught large fish. She loved the small talk they made with each other. It was like it was second nature. After a few minutes of talking, Renji got a call. He excused himself and walked towards the boat. Rukia watched him as he rose. He subconsciously unbuttoned a button of his shirt as he stood, causing her to stare. She watched as he walked towards the boat. She then could hear him yell.

"Tonight?! It's Friday?! I thought it was Wednesday! Can you give me 10 minutes? I'm on the island. Yeah, we'll be over in a few. Huh? Oh yeah I have a guest with me. Yeah, it's a female. Date?! I guess so. Does that mean you won't bug me about not having a date this year? We'll be right there."

Renji hung up the phone and turned around to a very red Rukia. "Hey, listen. I kind of forgot there's an Innkeeper Association dinner tonight. Can you go with me?"

"As a date?"

"Well yeah, if that's ok."

"Sure, but I don't have a dress to wear."

"Damn, that's right." Renji thought for a moment. "I bet Momo would have a dress in your size. We need to stop by the bar quick to pick up my suit." Renji helped Rukia back on the boat.

"Since when do you get suits at bars?"

"Since Ikkaku and Yumichika came to town. Ikkaku likes to serve drinks and Yumichika likes alterations and does dry cleaning. They were business partners, but their previous business bombed, so they opened the bar. It's actually very popular."

Rukia laughed at the thought of a businessman taking off his dress shirt, untucking his undershirt, downing a shot, and handing the shirt to get cleaned. It seemed like such a great idea. She wondered why no one had thought of it before. Rukia was snapped out of her day dream to Renji calling someone. It sounded like it was Momo. Renji turned around swiftly.

"What's your dress size?"

"Huh? I, um, a 0 or 2."

Renji spun back around and continued on the phone. Rukia contemplated if this was too small for him. She knew she was small. She's not even to her brother's shoulder, and he's a pretty average sized guy. She can't help it. She eats enough for two people most days. Renji hung up the phone as they reached the dock. He shoved the phone back in his pocket and tied the boat up. He helped Rukia out and told her to wait in front. She walked to the front and looked around. She then heard a car and saw Renji drive around the inn, turn around the dead end, then park right in front of her. The car was a black convertible that Rukia was surprised Renji could fit in. As she was about to open the door, the roof started retracting. She waited for it, then got in as Renji rolled the windows down.

"Nice car."

"Thanks. Let's roll."

The mid afternoon sun was shining bright, and Rukia loved the feeling of driving in a convertible. She never had before, but she could get used to it. She held her arm out the window as he drove. Rukia would catch Renji glancing over at her once in a while. She smiled as she loved the idea of spending more time with him. They arrived at the bar, and walked right up to the bar. Rukia sat down next to Renji. She felt like spinning in the bar stool, but resisted the urge.

"Yo, Ikkaku, ya gonna wait until February to get my suit?!"

"Calm your ass, man. Yumichika's baggin' it up right now." Ikkaku spun around, looked at Rukia, then smiled. "Hey, I'm Ikkaku."

"Rukia."

"Did this monkey drag you here kicking and screaming?"

Rukia leaned forward. "Nah, I was just on vacation and needed a distraction."

"Can I get you both a drink while you wait?"

"Old fashioned with cherries, please." Rukia's nerves were a little rattled from being around Renji's friends for some reason. The men looked at her.

"I was thinking more of a beer, but that works too. One old fashioned coming up. Renji, anything for you?" Ikkaku began making the drink.

"Beer's fine. Whatever you have on special."

"Cheapskate. I'm guessing Rukia will be paying for her own drink then?" Ikkaku eyed Renji with a wide grin.

"You bastard." Renji slapped down a 10 on the counter. "Take them out of that."

"Renji, you don't have to."

"It's fine."

"Thanks." Rukia took the newly presented cup and felt the drink warm her. She sipped it slowly as she watched Renji and Ikkaku talk. She looked around at he other people at the bar. They were all in lively conversation, or they were on one of the slot machines. The whole bar seemed clean, but still felt a little rough around the edges. It felt like at any moment, a biker gang would storm in and start a fight. Rukia just chalked it up to not being in bars that much. She looked back to see another man emerge behind the bar doors. Rukia guessed this was Yumichika. Renji and the two men talked for a bit while Rukia sipped on her drink. She didn't really mind that Renji didn't introduce her, but she did feel a little isolated. She saw Renji look at his watch. Rukia decided it was a good time to chug the rest of the drink since they probably had to leave. She slammed it on the counter, startling everyone.

"Oh sorry. I just though we'd have to leave soon." Rukia looked at Renji with questioning eyes.

"Yeah, we do have to see Momo. Thanks guys. I'll see you later."

They walked out and got back in the car. They drove back the way they came and parked just a few blocks from the inn. Momo was already outside waving.

"Hey Momo."

"Hey guys." She ran over to Rukia. "I'm Momo."

"Rukia. Nice to meet you. Thank you for the dress."

"Oh, it's no problem! Come inside. I have plenty to choose from. You wouldn't think that being this guy's housekeeper would lead you to many fancy parties, but I've had my share. Come on." Momo grabbed Rukia's hand and ran inside. "Now Renji, Rukia's going to model the dresses for you. You need to stay here and give her your opinion." Renji stopped and looked confused.

"Ok, I guess. I'm not very good at this sort of thing."

"Nonsense. Let's go to the closet." A few minutes later, Rukia emerged wearing a black frilly dress. Renji was sitting in a chair in the living room and gave a slight smile, but soon frowned.

"Too frilly."

She came out in three more before coming out in a simple black dress with lace trim. Renji widened his eyes, but before he could speak, Momo came over with a flowered clip for Rukia to hold her hair back. She also put on some earrings that dangled.

"So Renji, how's this one?" Rukia asked.

"Perfect." Renji shifted in the chair. Rukia looked at Momo.

"Do you by chance have any shoes in a 6?"

"We totally match. I do have some heels." She went to the closest and came back. Rukia slipped on the heels and was surprised by how comfortable they were. Renji stood up.

"We should get going. Thanks a lot Momo. Do you have a bag for Rukia's clothes?"

"Yeah, one sec." She ran back and gave Rukia the bag. She put all her clothes and her shoes in it and waved a goodbye to Momo as they exited quickly and drove off. Rukia looked down at the dress.

"This is a nice dress." She looked over at Renji, who remained focused on the road.

"Yeah, it is."

As they pulled up, Renji got out of the car and sighed. He didn't think he'd be that taken aback by how beautiful she was. They walked inside, and Renji threw his bag over a chair.

"We should be leaving in about 15 minutes. I'll wait for you down here." He then took off his shirt right in the front lobby. Rukia froze upon staring at his many tattoos. She came to the conclusion very fast that she liked tattoos. Renji walked over to the bag, which made Rukia promptly walk up the stairs.

She freshened up as best she could, then headed back downstairs. Renji was already waiting at the door. She stopped at the last step for a moment, then tried to take another step, only to lose her balance. Renji rushed over and caught her.

"Easy there. You ok?"

"Yeah, I just, haven't seen you dressed like that."

"Aw, did I take your breath away?" Renji joked.

"I guess so." Rukia looked down in obvious embarrassment. Renji looked away and cleared his throat.

"Well, you look like you should be in a painting or something." Rukia giggled, then they walked out the door.

* * *

Note: Thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

What had she gotten herself in to? Who were these people, and why did they all have a certain tone in their voices? Were they all out to bring down the other inns? Or was it that they were simply jealous of other innkeepers' success? Rukia pondered these questions as she sat at a table near the far wall. She looked at the simple table arrangements while glancing at the many brochures scattered on the table. Rukia had grabbed them near the registration area. As soon as Renji was hauled away by someone, she knew it was going to be a solo operation. She found the one for the Abarai Inn and studied it. It was obvious someone had been hired to do the brochure. The pictures were nice. Rukia looked on the back page and saw a photo of Renji and all the other staff members. She counted five people total, though she had only seen Momo before. The others she had never seen. She wondered if they had set hours, or if they came in as needed. She put the brochure down and looked at the crowd. Everyone was dressed nicely, and they all seemed to know each other. She wondered if she should have just gone back to the inn. As she rummaged through her purse to check the time, someone stopped in front of the table. Rukia saw the shoes with her peripheral vision, and glanced up. A tall man with white hair stood in front of her. His smile seemed genuine, but she was caught off guard and her hand instinctively shut her purse.

"Good evening. I'm Ukitake. It looks like you've been by yourself for a while."

"Oh, I uh, yeah. I'm Rukia. I came here with Renji Abarai, but he was dragged off, so I've been here ever since."

Ukitake put his hand to his chin. "That's interesting. He never told me he was dating anyone."

Rukia smiled slightly. "I guess you could call it a date, but I don't live in this area. I'm actually just staying at his inn."

Ukitake pulled a chair out and sat across from her. "Ah, I see. Well, I'm still happy to see him out with someone. Renji spends most of his days at the inn. When he's done for the day, he usually ends up at Ikkaku's bar or just sits on the dock at the inn. He really doesn't get out much. We've all had to visit him before because he has such a set life that it's hard for him to deviate from that routine."

Rukia spotted Renji's hair from across the room. "I never would've thought he was such a homebody like that. He had no problem going to Momo's or to, well, I guess Ikkaku's place was easy for him." Rukia sighed. "I'll have to take him somewhere myself."

Ukitake nodded. "I suggest as far away from the inn as possible. I overheard him telling someone that he had closed the inn for a few days. You should take him somewhere nice." Ukitake and Rukia both sat wondering where they should take him. This felt almost exciting to her. She could go anywhere with Renji. Maybe he'd even offer to drive and they can ride the convertible down a winding road overlooking some lake or mountain. She knew there was a stretch of hills and lakes along a part of highway to the south. She looked at Ukitake just as he spoke.

"What about the winding highway to the south? That has quite a few parks with trails and waterfalls. I actually have a friend who could loan you a small RV."

Rukia was shaking with excitement. She could actually feel her hands tremble. "Really?! Thank you so much. I would love that. It's not too far, but we wouldn't have to find a place to stay either."

As Rukia finished her sentence, Renji walked over and sat down. "Sorry about leavin' you Rukia. These people can be pretty grabby sometimes." He smiled and nodded to Ukitake. "I see he's been keeping you company, so I don't feel so bad now." Rukia shook her head.

"It's no problem." She glanced at Ukitake, who smiled wide to her. "What do you say the two of us go on a little road trip?"

Renji leaned back in his chair. "Where did you have in mind?"

"It wouldn't be far. It's just about an hour south of here. There are a lot of beautiful parks and roads we could take."

Ukitake spoke while Renji thought about the idea. "I have a friend who would let you borrow their RV. The two of you could stay anywhere and you wouldn't have to worry about finding somewhere to sleep. There are plenty of RV parks there."

"What do you say Renji?" Rukia tried with all her might not to look too anxious. She had such a strong urge to go camping and road tripping with him that the mere thought of staying at the inn a few days, even with him nearby, seemed like it wasn't enough. She wanted to be with him more than she thought she did. Renji leaned forward and looked at Rukia. He began to chuckle.

"Your face looks so intense right now that I feel you'd punch me if I said no." Rukia leaned back and put her hands to her cheeks. "Let's do it."

"Really?!" Rukia's voice crackled.

"Sure, why not." He shot a smirk to Ukitake. "He probably told you I need to get away."

"I may have mentioned you have a routine." Ukitake stood up. "Well, I'll get everything set up and have the RV to the inn tomorrow around 8. It's a small one, but it's one unit, not a trailer, so you guys can roam freely while it's moving." He turned to walk away, but turned back and waved. "I'll see you tomorrow." They all waved to each other as Ukitake greeted someone nearby.

Rukia could feel her heart racing. She always wanted to stay longer in that area. It was so beautiful, and with Renji around, she felt that she would be able to enjoy it more. Renji looked over at Rukia, who was still sitting, lost in thought. He chuckled at her blank expression when he tried to call out her name.

"You really want to do this, don't you?"

Rukia looked towards him in renewed confidence. "I do. Will it be ok to share the RV for the few days? You won't get claustrophobic?"

"It's fine." What Renji really wanted to end that sentence with was, "Because you will be with me." He paused for a moment, then said it anyway. Rukia pushed on his shoulder with her hand, laughing at how bold he was. Renji stood up and offered his hand to Rukia. She placed the brochures into her purse and took his hand. He pulled her up quickly and before she knew it, he had her lips to his. It was a rather short kiss, but it was enough for her to feel great at the sudden embrace. As she put her purse on, she looked up to see that a large portion of the crowd was looking at them. The room was fairly quiet, but Rukia knew she probably could've heard a pin drop. Renji scowled and ran his hand through his hair, which was now tied back. "You guys need to get out more. " He told the audience. A man from the back of the crowd threw out a, "Look who's talking." The crowd began to all laugh. Renji gave a fake smile and pulled at Rukia's arm to get her to follow him out. They walked in silence past the onlookers. She tried to smile as much as she could. It was rather embarrassing for her.

She exited the building and felt so much better. A few people chatting on the steps greeted them as they left. Rukia got into the car and as Renji sat down, he loosened his tie, then took it off and threw it in the back seat. Rukia watched as he unbuttoned a few of his shirt buttons and gave a relived sigh as he started the car. All Rukia could do to pull herself away from looking at him was telling herself how she's too old for this kind of behavior. It's not like she's a schoolgirl. She shook her head and turned to look out the window. She rested her elbow on the open window and watched the houses and businesses go by.

Renji looked over to see Rukia looking out the window. He could feel how strong his feelings for her were becoming. He knew he had to play it cool or she was probably going to leave and never come back. As he drove, he wondered how he could be more cool and romantic. He was trying to envision a classy, sophisticated gentleman that would sweep her off her feet. Whenever he tried to think of himself being like that, all that he could think of instead was him sitting cross legged on the dock throwing old bread into the water for the fish to eat while he did his accounting for the inn drinking a beer and trying to get a little sun to hit his bare back. That's how he really was. He knew that he wasn't that sophisticated guy that Rukia probably deserved. From what she had told him about her family and her life at home, he definitely would come across as a barbarian.

As he snapped back into reality, he noticed that they were already back at the inn and hadn't said a word to each other. He cursed to himself silently and pulled into the garage. He quickly ran out of the car and was going to open the door for Rukia, but she had already stepped out and shut the door. She looked up at him in confusion. He quickly turned around and walked back into the inn. He held the door open for her. At least he could redeem himself somewhat. As she walked past and thanked him, he realized he still had some paperwork to do before they left. He still had the door open when Rukia hit him in the back with her purse.

"You're letting the bugs in."

"Oh damn, sorry." He shut the door and locked it. As he turned around, he found Rukia looking up at him.

"What's going on in your head? You've been spacing out since we left the gathering. Are you reconsidering your decision to go on the trip?"

"No!" He nearly yelled it and made Rukia step back. Renji took off his coat while sighing to gather his thoughts. "No, I really want to go on the trip with you. It's probably going to be the highlight of my year. I just have paperwork to do before we leave. I usually do it in a rather unsophisticated way and, well, I don't know how you would feel if you saw me how I normally act."

"How do you do your paperwork that's so unsophisticated?" Rukia was filled with all kinds of confusion.

"Well, I'm usually not good at accounting stuff, so I normally grab a beer, head to the dock, grab some stale bread and sit on the dock throwing food to the fish." Renji walked into the office briskly.

Rukia started laughing. She walked over to the counter and called back to him. "That sounds nice. If I could do my accounting at work like that, I'd be happy."

Renji popped his head out. "That's good to hear. I need to do that now. Join me if you want. I have to go change first."

"Me too. I'll meet you out there." She began to walk away, but remembered the clothes. "What about my clothes?"

"Just put them back in the bag and bring them down here. I'll put them by Momo's stuff." Rukia nodded and ran up the stairs. She came down a few minutes later in capris and a basic t-shirt. She had her favorite sandals on and had a bottle of tea with her. She could hear the sound of the wood floors creak as she walked quickly through the lobby. She opened the door to the now lit up dock. The lights were soft and she loved that she could see fir eflies in the distance. She found Renji sitting on the dock, wearing only cargo shorts. A pad of paper and a laptop sitting on his lap. She walked over and he moved to give her enough room to sit. He handed her a beer and she thanked him.

"It's a little dark to be getting sun."

"It's still hot as hell." He reached into a bag and gave her some slices of bread.

"We can't see the fish when it's this dark."

"No, but you can hear them and see the bread disappear. I normally do this in the day anyway."

"You do have a routine, don't you?" Rukia laughed as she started to break apart the bread. She rolled each little piece in a ball and threw them into the water. Within moments, the little ball was gone with a splash. She found the whole situation very calming. She felt warm and comfortable sitting on a wet dock that smelled like fish. To her, at that time, she didn't smell or feel those things. All she could feel were the warm lights, the joy of simply feeding fish, and the company of the man next to her. "Hey, Renji?" He grunted a response while still looking at his laptop. "If you need any help with that, I certainly can lend you a hand. I do work at an accounting agency."

As if a light had been turned on in his head, Renji looked up and stared at Rukia with bright eyes. "That's right! Yes, can you help?"

"Of course." Rukia moved closer to him and looked at his laptop screen.

Renji looked at how she was sitting and trying to see the screen. "I have a better idea." He put down his laptop. "Sit here on my right leg. It'll be much easier to see the screen from there." Rukia did what he said subconsciously. When she finally snapped out of it, she was sitting on his lap. Her bare feet were placed on his other legs. Since he was sitting cross legged, the distance was perfect. He smiled and put the laptop back on his legs, which now seemed too low. Rukia saw how the laptop looked and immediately jumped up and ran inside without a word. She emerged a few moments later with a tray that is used for guests that want to eat their breakfast in bed. The raised tray was the perfect height. Rukia repositioned herself on him again. She almost fell backward, but his arm caught her. She was pushed back into position. She thanked him and he nodded, but his arm didn't move. She looked at him with half lidded eyes.

"We'll never get any work done at this rate."

"What work?"

Her eyes flashed back to the screen for a moment before going back to him. "You should get the work done. Here, I can see the screen better now." Renji moved his arm around her and back onto the keyboard.

They worked on the paperwork for a good hour. Finally, when they were done, Renji closed the laptop and stretched his arms. He laid on his back with Rukia still balancing on him. She looked at him, wondering if she should get off. Renji caught her fidgeting and sat back up, holding her steady.

"Thanks. I was getting off balance." She pointed to the bread. "Would you like to throw some more bread in?"

"Sure, but before that." He reached around him to where his cooler was. He handed her another beer and opened his own. "Thanks for helping me. It went so much faster."

"Anytime." They took the bread from the bag and began throwing it into the water. The comfortable feeling returned to both of them as he held her closer with one hand. She leaned her head on his shoulder and kept throwing in the bread. She never wanted to leave, and neither did he.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the inn, several people were gathered, peeking their heads around the inn to see the two on the dock.

"See, he does have a girlfriend. 'Bout time."

"Oh, she's so small and cute. I love it!"

"Sshh! Rangiku, you want him to hear us and fire us all for peeping on him?"

"He can't fire me, but I'll probably lose a lot of business at the bar if he stopped coming by."

"You should've seen her in my dress. She was so beautiful. She looked way better in it than I ever would."

"Nonsense, you always look great Momo. Even when we are cleaning the toilets, we always look great."

The two women giggled softly.

"You two are weird. How is cleaning the toilet supposed to make you look beautiful?"

"Oh Ikkaku, you don't get it. Just keep slingin' drinks like you always do."

Ikkaku looked at the two on the dock, now kissing each other with more passion. As the three looked on, Renji leaned back while still kissing Rukia until his back was on the dock. Ikkaku moved away from the building. "Come on ladies, we've seen enough."

In unison, the women both said, "No!"

Ikkaku groaned and started pulling the two women now clinging to the side of the building. Momo let go right away, but soon they both were prying Rangiku from her place. Finally, after much muted effort, they all walked away, leaving the two lovebirds for now.


	4. Chapter 4

Renji looked to his right to see the commotion going on. Rukia didn't seem to notice, but he felt like he should stop. He pulled himself up, with Rukia now clinging to him. Renji could tell her breathing was heavy. He felt her grab his shoulder. Renji leaned over and began to stand, helping Rukia onto her feet as well. "We should go inside." Renji said, picking up his things. Rukia looked around to a now empty dock. She followed him inside, watching the front of the building the whole time.

The next morning, both were up fairly early to get ready. They both showered, stealing glances at one another while getting ready. Right on time, the RV arrived. Rukia looked out the window to see Ukitake arriving. Renji took a spot towering over her to view out the window as well. He rested his hand on her shoulder.

"How's my beautiful girlfriend this morning?" He moved his head and kissed her on the top of her's.

Rukia felt a knot in her stomach, but smiled. "I'm fine. Are you ready to go?" Rukia felt him nod. They headed downstairs and greeted Ukitake at the door. The RV was small, but would be the perfect size for them, though Renji may have to duck down. They opened the side door and viewed the interior. It's as they expected. Two seats up front, which opened to a long couch with a table attached. The kitchenette across from that and a loft that had a rather large bed in it. Rukia noticed the lack of bathroom, so she ran back inside to get more supplies. While she was gone, Ikkaku emerged from behind the RV.

"Hey man, I hope you have a nice trip."

"Thanks Ikkaku." Ikkaku hit Renji in the back.

"So, you and her a couple now?"

Renji looked at him in confusion. "How'd you know?" He knew it was him that he saw last night. No one has a shaved head but him in town. He wanted to play it dumb for now. Ikkaku stepped back, obviously trying to think of an excuse.

"Well, just a guess. I'm glad for ya. Long distance relationships are tough though. Ya think you can handle it?"

Renji smirked. "Hell yeah. It's only an hour. We can visit each other whenever we have free time."

"Which for you is never. She probably will have to come here a lot."

Renji nodded softly. "She said she was willing to. For now, we will just see how it goes."

Rukia emerged moments later with another bag. She shoved it into the RV and closed the door. She turned around to see the three men looking at her. "What?" The men shifted their positions and eyes elsewhere until Renji spoke.

"So, you ready?"

"Oh yeah. Let's go. Thanks again for the RV."

Ikkaku smirked and put his hands in his pockets. "Better you use it than have it sit in my uncle's driveway." They waved their goodbyes and Renji started up the RV. It roared to life and they were off.

The roads were lined with fields and orchards. The rattling of the RV's engine and the occasional sound of something moving behind them gave the sense that at any moment, the RV would take an unceremonious bow into the highway and they would be left walking away from a fiery abyss that was once an RV. The thought amused Rukia as she watched in silence at the scenery around her. She was jolted from her daydreams by a hand grabbing her arm. She peered over to see Renji trying to grab her hand, but failing due to the sheer length between them. Rukia chuckled and outstretched her arm, waving it until Renji grabbed on. Rukia held out her camera and took some pictures of the inside of the vehicle, the scenery, Renji driving, and anything else she thought she wanted to document.

She made a good effort to get up and visit the interior, but a bump in the road caused her to fall onto the table and eventually onto the floor. Cursing her attempts to take a decent picture while the RV was moving left her with an eventual determination to finish what she started. She rummaged through her purse for a remote to the camera's timer function and remembered it was attached to her keys. She silently thanked the makers of her camera for thinking of such things. She took to her feet and placed the camera on a table facing the front. She found a few heavier items to place near it in hopes it would stay still. She ran back to her seat up front. A confused Renji looked back at her. She pressed the remote. A click could be heard. Renji looked back for a moment, then at her.

"Did you just take a picture?"

Rukia nodded. "Pretty nice, huh?"

"I guess." Renji looked unamused. Rukia grabbed at his arm this time, needing to stand up to get it. Renji smiled as he knew now why she had moved the camera. He had to admit. It would be a pretty interesting picture. With their arms outstretched and both facing forward, Rukia took several pictures. The flash went off a few times, but she hoped that one was good enough. She let go and ran back to the camera. She sat on the seating and clicked through the pictures. Her breath caught as one picture showed on the screen. It was nearly perfect. She could edit it slightly, but overall it was exactly what she had in mind.

Over the next few hours, the couple stopped by a few parks, took in a few waterfalls, picturesque lake views, and walked on some hiking trails. The two were both not much for PDAs, but they would occasionally steal a kiss, or hold hands. An older couple sitting near a waterfall commented that they look like they did back when they first started dating. When Renji told them they had just started dating, the couple wished them luck.

Before they left, Renji made Rukia embarrassed by asking if they had any advice for them. They were not young adults anymore, so they were both pretty mature, but Renji knew that the older couple had many more years of experience. The older man looked Renji in the eyes and told him that the best thing to do for her is to know what makes her happy. If she liked gifts, give her gifts. If she likes alone time, give her that. Or if she liked simply holding him, give her his touch. He said once they find what makes her feel the most loved, to continue to do that. He warned to not do it too often, because it would get old, but just enough to show that he was still thinking about her. The older woman then spoke to Rukia. She said to have patience. She said that men can be immature sometimes, at any age. They can act like a spoiled child, but she said that if Rukia shows him patience and respect, that when the time passes, things will be better for them both. She also said to make sure to find what makes him happy as well. Often she heard of women joking with other women about how they had their men bowing to them and how the man does something for the woman, but that it seems like the effort is not given back. Whenever she confronted these women about it, they would make some comment about how all men want the same thing, so they can be manipulated. This was not the right and fair way to be in a relationship. Rukia shook her head, insisting she was not like that, but thanked both of them for their advice.

As they walked away from the couple, they were silent as they both contemplated what the other couple had said. Finally, Renji spoke. "Should we go find a restaurant to eat?"

"I brought food. Remember I asked what you like to eat? I can't believe you went this long before getting hungry. I've snacked a few times since breakfast." Renji looked disappointed.

"Can I at least take you out for dinner then?" Rukia's stomach flipped.

"Oh, sure." She laughed nervously. It was really nice of Renji to take her out for dinner. He even supplied the food from the kitchen at the inn for their lunches.

They ate their lunch and relaxed on the couches to rest their feet before heading towards the lake to take a quick swim in the calm waters. They challenged each other to a swimming race to the small island in the middle of the lake. Renji won by only an arm's length. As they laid on the island's beach catching their breath, Renji grabbed Rukia's hand and kissed it. Rukia smiled, knowing that this small gesture was better for her than telling her a hundred compliments. They swam back slowly as their muscles were now telling them they don't use them that often and were too tired to keep a good pace. Once they returned to the RV, they wandered around the RV park they had checked in to and found that they had a full shower area. Rukia loved the idea of weeds not being in her hair when they went out to eat. She skipped into the shower while humming an unknown tune.

When they were both showered, they had a few hours before dinner, so they sat and chatted. The timing was great since they were both exhausted. Rukia took the moment to put her legs across Renji's and lean herself against him. Renji held her close and within moments, they had both fallen asleep.

"Hey, Renji! Wake up!" Renji groaned. "It's already past 8! We need to get dinner!" Renji sprang up when he heard the time. He hit his head on the loft above them, causing him to fall back onto the couch. Renji cursed and rubbed his head. Rukia's mouth began to smile, then finally a full laugh emerged. Renji got up slowly and pulled a still laughing Rukia off the couch. They walked in the setting sun's light until they reached the end of the RV park. A restaurant's lights showed brightly. They walked in and grabbed a table.

After they had eaten, they quickly left the restaurant because it was closing. They hated that they came in so late, but the restaurant closed at 9:30, but they had still said they could eat. After a slow walk back, they arrived at a bonfire being set up by some of the other campers. There were no chairs in the RV, but another camper had some and offered two to them.

Once around the fire, the chatter was loud, the laughing abundant, and the drinks flowing. The couple both agreed to a few drinks, but quickly felt the crowd was too large for their liking. They excused themselves and hurried back towards their RV. Once inside, Rukia plopped down on the bed.

"Can I just sleep like this?" Her face firmly planted on the pillow. Her arms hanging over the side of the bed.

"Sure, but then there's no room for me." Renji began to climb up.

"There's plenty of room for you. If you fold yourself in half." Rukia smirked while turning over.

Renji now felt like a challenge. He climbed over Rukia and laid down on the other side of the bed. His legs were too long to be completely stretched out, but he moved to his side and bent his legs slightly. "I guess I can fit up here."

Rukia turned over and smiled. "I guess so." She yawned, then looked a the time. "I had a really nice time today. Actually, I've had a really nice few days. I can't believe I'm dating you now."

Renji propped his head up. "Is that a good thing?"

"Of course it is. I just didn't realize how much I had fallen for you until we were on the dock together."

Renji laughed. "The dock of love."

Rukia put her hand over her face to hide her laugh. "That's so cheesy."

Renji leaned over. "I know." He pulled her hand away and swiftly pulled her up until their lips met.

"Renji." Rukia breathed between kisses. "I love you."

Renji pulled away for a moment to tell her, "I love you too." before returning to her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Note**: Hello everyone. Thank you for reading. If you read my last chapter and it seemed weird and was bold in areas, please go back and re-read it. The site has been acting strange for me. I've re-checked this chapter several times, so hopefully no random deleting of parts of the story here. One more chapter to go. We need more RenjixRukia fics.

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Rukia woke to the sound of birds chirping. The soft light of the early morning sun peeked through the curtains in the RV. She rolled to her side to view the RV from her bed in the loft. She smiled as she realized she slept all night. She usually wakes up for some reason, but not last night. Last night was perfect. She rested her head back on the pillow as an arm slowly wrapped itself around her. She smiled and moved her body back until she reached his bare chest. He slid over and kissed her on her temple. "Morning." He said in a deep voice that rang through her whole body.

"Morning." She breathed out. She placed her hand over his and they stayed like that for a few minutes. She could feel his hold on her lessen and soon realized he had fallen back to sleep. She closed her eyes again. Sleeping like that did feel nice.

After a slow start, they finally headed back to the inn. It felt nice to be back, but they both wanted to leave again, though next time they may get a hotel room so Renji can stand and lay down properly. Rukia felt giddy to be back at the inn. It did feel like she was home. Reality quickly set in as she realized she had to go home soon. She had to work tomorrow, and she was still tired.

As she packed up her things and loaded them into the car, all she could feel was sadness. She didn't want to leave. Her feelings grew as Renji stepped out to say goodbye to her. Her eyes began to tear up, and her smile grew to a frown quickly. Renji stood by her and put his hand on her back.

"Don't want to leave?" He asked. She shook her head, wiping a stray tear from her eye. "I won't be able to visit you for a while. I have to catch up on business. Anytime you are able to come over, you can." Renji wiped away another tear and lifted her up to hold her closely. He sat her on the trunk of her car and gave her a soft kiss before placing his forehead on hers. "We can make this work Rukia. I promise I will communicate with you in some way each day. I don't want you to feel you are alone." Rukia threw her arms around him and smiled.

"I know this can work." She hopped off the car. "I should be going." Renji opened the door for her, and she got in her car. She turned on the car and rolled down the window. Renji put his forearms on the window's edge and leaned in to give Rukia a kiss. She sighed after he pulled back and put the car in drive. "I'll see soon Renji." She said with a sad tone.

"Not soon enough." Renji stood up. "See ya." They waved and she was off. Renji stood in the middle of the road waving until she was out of sight. Renji let out a groan and put his hand on his head. "I miss her already." He said to himself. He turned away and headed to open up the inn.

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Over the two years that had passed since Rukia and Renji first met, Rukia had visited Renji more times than she could remember. Renji only visited her a few times at her place. She understood that he had a business to run, but she still wished they could just teleport the other to their location. Today, however, was a very nerve wracking day for her. Today, Renji was going to meet her brother. Since her brother was the only family she had, she really wanted Byakuya to like him. Renji was taller than he was, and was so much larger and almost intimidating until you get to know him. Byakuya seemed to prefer that she date guys that were less gruff and more detailed, calculating, and cautious. She thought she'd go for a guy like that. She'd even dated ones like that in the past, much to the approval of her brother, but it just never worked out.

She wandered through her apartment, looking for something. Or nothing. She couldn't quite remember. Her mind had turned to panic mode and all she wanted to do was hide under her covers until it was the next morning. That way, this whole meeting would be over with. As she passed her bedroom, she remembered what she had been looking for. She went to her jewelry box and took out a very simple necklace and put it on. Renji had given it to her on their 1 year anniversary. She knew that the feeling of the necklace will ground her if and when things go bad between the two men. She would feel the necklace and know that she had made the right decision. Renji was great for her, and she would just have to convince her brother of that.

A knock came at the door and Rukia froze. This was it. She took a deep breath and opened the door. There he was. Renji decided on a dark green button up shirt with black pants. The color worked well with his hair and complexion. Rukia wondered for a moment if he knew this, or just simply grabbed something from the closet. She decided it was probably the latter. She stepped aside and let Renji in without a word. She shut the door behind him and was moments later pressed against the nearby wall, arms holding onto those strong shoulders that were already making her melt.

Renji looked down and could see the necklace. He took his free hand and held it gently. He glanced up at Rukia and smiled. "Is this your good luck charm?"

"What if it is?"

"It better give us the most luck it can." He let her down as she stared at him. Renji smoothed out his shirt. "I'm just nervous. That's all."

"I am too. I know I've told you as many stories as I possibly can about my brother, but meeting him is another story."

Renji ran his hand through his hair before pulling it back. "Yeah, I know. Guys like him and guys like me are like oil and water. We just don't mix." He paused as Rukia slowly nodded. "Well even oil and water when shaken with the right amount of spice, can make a nice dressing. You're the spice."

Rukia's eyes glazed over as she processed what he had just said. She then burst out in laughter. She even held her stomach as she was getting a stomach ache from laughing so hard. "That was the lamest thing I've ever heard. Nice work Renji." She said as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Come on, we should go." Renji nodded, still seemingly embarrassed by what he had just said.

They drove in relative silence as they headed for the park. Rukia had chosen the two men meet in a neutral location. Her brother had offered to bring the food for a picnic if they just brought the dishes and cloth to sit on. They arrived at the park early and set up the wide cloth to sit on. It was in the standard blue and white pattern one would see in old movies. Rukia purposely bought it for that reason. The two sat down on the cushions that she had brought and began small talk. They both were trying to think of anything that could get their minds off the impending meeting. Renji wiped his hands several times on the cloth napkin that Rukia had brought. She noticed this and put her hand on his leg. "It'll be alright. Even if my brother doesn't like you, I love you, ans that's all that matters."

"I know babe." Renji folded the napkin and placed to his right. He looked up at Rukia and smiled. "I think this is him approaching." She looked around to see her brother walking towards them with a bag. He was in a white button up shirt and black pants. Neither men wore clothes that would be good for a picnic on the ground. Rukia and Renji stood up together as Byakuya arrived.

"Brother, it's good to see you again." She took the bag from him and set it down. "I'd like you to meet Renji." Renji smiled and held out his hand. Byakuya took it and they shook hands.

"Renji Abarai. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Byakuya Kuchiki. Rukia tells me a lot about you."

Renji stepped back and gestured towards the cushions. "Would you like to have a seat?"

Byakuya nodded and sat down. Rukia took out the waters from the bag and handed them out. There was an awkward silence before Byakuya spoke. "So, I hear you are the owner of an inn an hour east of here?"

"I am. I inherited it from my father. It has been in the family for generations."

"I assume you would want to carry on that tradition and pass it down to your own children someday?"

Renji gulped some water to steady his nerves. "Yes, I would like to continue the tradition provided the inn is still in good working order. I would not want to pass on a rundown inn with no business." It was hard for Renji to speak this way. He just wanted to speak the way he normally did, but he knew Byakuya would be calculating everything he said. Byakuya simply nodded and looked at Rukia.

"Would you like to eat now?"

"Yes, that would be good. I didn't eat breakfast, so I'm rather hungry."

"Why did you not eat breakfast?" She wanted to say that it was because she was too nervous over the meeting, but she instead said that she was too busy.

They ate their lunch and chatted about various topics. Renji kept himself as professional as he could, but he was starting to get a sore back from sitting up straight. All he wanted to do was unfasten half his shirt buttons and stretch his legs out. He knew this would not look good for him, so he remained stiff. After a half hour of discussion, Rukia was ready to leave. She offered to take everything to the cars and go for a walk with them once she returned. The two men stood and waited for her under a large tree. They watched as Rukia walked off with the bags. Renji took a deep breath and clenched his fist before shoving it in his pocket briefly. He took out a small box and held it in his hand. "Mr. Kuchiki, we probably won't see each other for some time, so I wanted to ask you this now." He paused as Byakuya turned to face him. "I know we just met, but I hope that we can speak to each other again to get to know each other better." He paused again. Before letting out a small sigh. "I love your sister more than anyone I have ever loved before. In the future, I'd like to give her this ring and ask her to be my wife. Would this be alright with you?" Renji felt a burst of relief as he finished the sentence. Byakuya looked down at the box.

"May I see the ring?" Renji gave him the box and he opened it. He closed it and handed it back. "I think she would look better in silver than gold. The design is simple and small. Change the band color and it should work perfectly for her." Renji couldn't tell if this was a for sure yes or not, so he decided to ask.

"Once I do that, will it be alright?"

Byakuya looked up at the tree above them before looking back at Renji. "That is her decision. You are correct that I do not know you that well to make a proper assessment; however, I feel with time, you may prove yourself to be worthy of my sister." Renji was excited, but was also amused that he said it was her decision, but seemed to still want his approval. Renji held out his hand to shake Byakuya's again.

"Thank you."

Renji shoved the box back in his pocket just as Rukia stopped next to them. "What are you guys talking about?"

Renji opened his mouth to speak, but Byakuya spoke first. "Business."

Renji looked at him as Rukia simply said, "Oh, I see. Shall we walk?"

* * *

As soon as the pair got home, they took off some of their clothes like they were on fire. Rukia pulled off her dress to reveal only a camisole and underwear. Renji unbuttoned his shirt, took it off, and untucked his black undershirt. He paused for a moment, looked at Rukia, then took off his pants to reveal his black boxers. Rukia laughed as he got his foot caught in one pant leg and hopped around. She went to the fridge and asked if he wanted anything to drink. He said anything was fine. She took the offer to go to the cabinet and make them the best old fashioned she could. She sipped the concoction as Renji laid down on the couch. Satisfied with her work, she took the glasses over to him and handed him one. He thanked her and took a sip. He nodded his approval and she sat down. They put their glasses on the nearby table and she positioned herself so she was sitting with her back against him and her small body sitting between his large legs. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a kiss on the head.

"What should we watch?"

* * *

The next month flew by to Renji. He was so busy at the inn that her visits seemed to be mere moments. Today was a special day for him though. It was the day he was going to ask her to marry him. He didn't know where or when, but he knew he had to get it done before the box in his pocket burns a hole in his pants. He had changed the band color and had even had the jeweler recheck the size. Renji had secretly measured her finger with a tape measure while she was sleeping.

Renji was at the front desk filing some papers when the door opened. The first thing he noticed was she was wearing the same clothes she wore the first time they met. The second was that it had started raining. It seemed too familiar to him. The moment seemed like an eternity. Rukia finally walked over and smacked him lightly on the side of the face. "Earth to Renji." He shook his head and chuckled to try and hide the embarrassment.

"Welcome my love. Staying in the king's chambers again tonight?"

"You know it."

Rukia looked around and saw the lack of people around. "Where is everyone?"

Renji stiffened. "Well, there are no guests tonight other than you. I had all the workers leave for the evening since with, uh, the weather." He secretly patted himself on the back for making up a story that was technically true, but neglected to mention that he had asked the workers to leave for the night so he could be alone with her.

Rukia looked at him strangely, but shrugged it off and left to put away her items. When she returned, Renji was oddly pacing. When she asked him what was wrong, he grabbed her hand and rushed her out into the pouring rain.

"Renji, what are you doing?"

"Come on!" He ran out into the middle of the road near the dead end and twirled her around. He began to hum an unknown tune as they danced. Rukia took to the dancing and laughed as the dance moves were becoming more ridiculous. Neither knew how to dance that well. He finally twirled her one last time. As she came to a stop, she could feel him drop down. She halted to face him. Her eyes widened as he looked up at her. He held her hand and looked down momentarily before finding her eyes with his own. "Rukia, the moment you came into my life on a rainy day such as this, you have never left my mind. You have been the breath of fresh air in my stale world. I want our lives to be one. Will you marry me?"

Rukia took her hand and hid her soon to be tear filled face. "Renji." She chocked out before squeezing his hand tightly.

"Yes, Rukia?"

"Yes, I'll marry you,"

Renji calmly took the ring from the box and put it on her hand. She looked at it. Drops of rain were clinging to the ring. Rukia looked down to Renji. His head was lowered. It seemed like he was crying. She took his chin with her hand and lifted it slowly. She looked into his bloodshot eyes. "You have made me the happiest girl in the world." She leaned down and kissed him for the first time as future Mrs. Abarai. This was the greatest moment in her life. She was with him, and that's all that mattered.


	6. Chapter 6

The big day came sooner than they had expected. Neither wanted a big event. Since Renji didn't have any family and Rukia only had her brother, the guest list was very small. Most of the guests were mutual friends. The wedding and reception was held at the inn. The dead end road was converted into an area where they were going to recite their vows. Some chairs were laid out, but after a while, the guests just offered to stand.

With all their friends watching, Rukia walked out from the inn. Renji only wore a suit that he had and Rukia wore an offwhite dress with purple sash. She found it at store on sale and was something she could easily wear again. There were no bridesmaids, music, groomsman, or flower girls. It was just them and Ukitake standing in the road giving each other rings and offering to love each other 'til death do they part. This was the way they wanted it. Simple and easy. After the vows, the two kissed and the crowd cheered. Rukia had a small bouquet with her and threw it to the audience, not caring who grabbed it. Rangiku pushed everyone aside and dove for the bouquet. She cheered and everyone laughed as she celebrated her victory. All the guests then moved to the porch and dining room inside for food and drink. Someone had found a radio and played a local station that had on a variety of music. It was an easy event and felt very comfortable.

Rukia moved past the crowd and found her brother and her soon to be former co-workers sitting at a table. She sat down and smiled at the people she saw almost every day. "Thanks for coming everyone."

A coworker spoke up. "It's not going to be the same without you at work."

"Whoa, I'm not leaving yet. I'll be there a few more months. I can't leave my brother hanging without a properly trained replacement." She looked at Byakuya and he gave a faint smile.

"I'm proud of you Rukia. You will now be a business owner and will be able to make this inn a popular destination." Rukia blushed at her brother's comment.

"Thank you." Rukia stood up and hugged her brother, then the rest of the guests at the table. She walked off and was going to go upstairs to get a sweater when she froze in mid step. Ichigo and Orihime were standing at the entrance to the inn. They all stood there for a moment before Orihime walked over with a big smile and hugged Rukia.

"Congratulations Rukia!" She nearly yelled into her ear. "I am so happy for you. So what's your name now?"

Rukia smirked. "My name is the name of this inn."

"So you are taking the Abarai name, not keeping Kuchiki?"

"I am. I'm Rukia Abarai now. Well, once we turn in the marriage certificate. I have a lot of papers to fill out." Orihime nodded and stepped back. She was about to walk back when someone blocked her way. They both stepped aside in time to see Renji punch Ichigo in the face. Ichigo stumbled backwards, but didn't fall. Holding his jaw, he yelled out.

"What the hell was that for?"

"That's for cheating on Rukia."

"Huh?" Is all Ichigo got out before Orihime spoke.

"M...Mr. Abarai, Ichigo didn't cheat on her with me. We never were physical while they were together."

Renji shot Orihime a glare before turning back to Ichigo. "Like I give a damn. You two hurt Rukia's heart."

Orihime walked over to Ichigo. "Maybe we should go." She said quietly. Rukia walked towards the two and gave them a hug.

"It's alright. You two are here as my friends. I know the three of us haven't spoken a lot these last few years, but I forgive you both, and Ichigo, I appreciate that you didn't cheat on me. I didn't think you would anyway. You're better than that."

"Damn right I am. Now, convince your husband. Oh wait, no, don't."

The two men began a staring contest that the women knew wouldn't end for a while. Rukia took Orihime's hand and led her into the other room. Thankfully, no one else had seen the fight.

After several hours of conversation, drink, and more food than anyone knew what to do with, the event was over and the workers of the inn were picking up. They told the newlyweds to go off and enjoy themselves. Renji grabbed Rukia's hand and led her out to the boat. He helped her on and gave her a blanket to sit on. He rowed lazily down the river. The inn slowly disappearing from view. The moon was bright that night and the wind was calm. Rukia sat back, closed her eyes, and listened to the sounds of the water and the wildlife. She opened her eyes to see Renji doing the same. Rukia sighed deeply.

"I can get used to this. I can't wait to start working here. I practically have all my belongings here already."

Renji laughed. "Yeah, you do." He opened his eyes and took Rukia's hands. "I'll always love you Rukia."

"Me too." She said quietly.

They leaned in and kissed each other softly. Renji turned the boat around and headed back towards the inn. The inn that changed both of their lives forever. To Rukia, if she hadn't met Renji, she would have stayed in a bad relationship, or been a workaholic and not enjoyed her time. She sometimes secretly thanked the rain when it poured for giving her the chance to meet this man, this innkeeper of her dreams. She was finally set free.

The end.

* * *

Note: Thanks for reading. I like keeping my stories short.


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